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Sage Gateshead appoints new Director of Royal Northern Sinfonia

Join us congratulating ISPA's Legacy Program participant Thorben Dittes on his new appointment as Director of Royal Northern Sinfonia - Orchestra of Sage Gateshead. Thorben Dittes has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Ensemble since 2010, with overall responsibility for the management of the organization.

Sage Gateshead is delighted to announce that Thorben Dittes will join the company this Autumn as its Director, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Classical Music Programme.

With a background in orchestral management and classical music planning, Thorben takes on this key leadership role, created to continue building the profile of Royal Northern Sinfonia both in the UK and internationally. He will be joining Sage Gateshead at a key juncture, as the internationally acclaimed music venue celebrates its 10th birthday.

Thorben will take charge of all of Sage Gateshead’s classical programming – itself a part of a wide and eclectic range of music performed at the North East venue, whose acoustics were described by conductor Lorin Maazel as ‘in the top five best in the world’.

This new post also carries overall responsibility for the work of Royal Northern Sinfonia, orchestra of Sage Gateshead. Thorben will work closely with the orchestra’s Music Director designate Lars Vogt, as well as a host of visiting artists and ensembles. He will also work closely with Sage Gateshead’s Performance Programme Director, Ros Rigby and its Director of Learning and Participation, Katherine Zeserson.

Thorben Dittes, who takes up the post after four years with the Scottish Ensemble, said:

‘’I am delighted to be joining the Directorate of Sage Gateshead at this key moment, when the venue is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and a new music director has been appointed for RNS. I look forward to working with Lars Vogt, the Board and colleagues at Sage, as well as the musicians of this wonderful orchestra to ensure its artistic excellence and ambition remains at the heart of the organisation, and that it continues to grow its reach and impact for the audiences and communities of the North East, and beyond.’’

Anthony Sargent, General Director of Sage Gateshead, said:

“I’m delighted that Thorben Dittes is joining us in this key new role. Thorben brings exactly the combination of skills and experience we hoped to find, and with the boundless energy and enthusiasm he brings to everything he does I am very confident our outstanding orchestra and our audiences can look forward to an exciting and rewarding new chapter in our classical music programming.”

Anne Millman, who chaired the selection panel as a member of Sage Gateshead’s Board, said:

“We are really pleased that Thorben is joining us. The Board is particularly focused on the importance of Royal Northern Sinfonia as a great asset at the heart of Sage Gateshead and the North East’s cultural landscape. The appointment of an individual of Thorben’s quality is hugely important in our strategy to grow the reputation of this orchestra, already recognised as one of the finest in the UK.”